Grading and ditching machine



(No Model.) 8 6 sheets-sheet 1. M. G. BUNNELL- GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE. No. 394,908. Pa n ed Deo. 18, 1888.

.l1 lis N. PUERS, Fhom-Limamphn. Washinglnn. D. C.

(No Model.)

lllllnlmnmmmu lllllillllllllllllll 6- Sheets-Sheet 2. M. G. BUNNELL.

GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE. y

Patented Deo. 18, 1888.

AMTNNNNNNN NNINN Y @im 5, M

TENS. Plwwulhognpmr. wrmngim. n.8.

A 8 I 6 Sheets-Sheetf-B..

G. BUNNBLL.

GRADING AND DITGHING lvlpexolgllwl.`

Paten ed Deo. 18l 1888.

n Finns wmmmmnpher. wnmngm. uc.

6 Sheets-Sheet 4. i M. G. BUNNELL.

GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

fw, UL ml (No Model.) s sheets-sheet 5.

BUNPUELL.v

GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 18, 1888. v @j mim N; @i @i @i 1.502.? i

\" al f? ww: l l l Am, .0`

6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Model.)

M. G. BUNNBLL.

GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE. v No. 394,908-l Patnted Dec. 18.11888..

J A| Je d? *f wf fl' f d f/giwagev, I

N. Pneus. mwwlwmpnef. wmmngm nc.

Unire States NORTON G. BUNNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR AUSTIN, OF SAME PLACE.

Arent trice.

TO FREDERICK C.

GRADING AND DITCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,908, dated Dezember 18, 1888.

Application filed June Il, 1888.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MoRToN G. BUNNELL, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grading' and Ditching Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

Prior to my invention a certain construction of grading and ditching` machine has involved a plow-beam suspended by raising and lowering chains and controlled by a` couple of ba: s arranged laterally to the plow-beam and respectively connected with the forward and rear ends ot' the plow-beam, the forwardlyarranged one ot said bars being in such case employed as a draft-bar, and to such end it has been connected with the toi-.ward axle by a draft-chain.

An object ot my invention is to entirely dispense with the guide and controlling bar heretofore connected with the plow-beam in rear of the plow and to efficiently guide and control the plow-beam by a single bar, whereby the machine can be shortened up and at the same time ample space afforded in rear of the elevator for a drive-chain extending under and transversely to the body-frame ot' the machine and employed in a powertransmitter which takes the driving-power from the rear axle at a point near the rear wheel,\vhich is at the plow side ot the machine, it being also observed in this connection that by the employment ot' a single bar arranged as hereinbet'ore set l'orth the construction is greatly simpliiied and lightenor'l, and at the same time the plow permitted to line itself and freely dodge obst ructions. To the attainment of the foregoing ends I provide in connection with the suspended plow-beam a combined draft and balance bar which is at one end pivotally supported and at its opposite cnd hinged to the plow-beam at apoint intermediate ol the ends oi the latter and sul'liciently near the plow to servo as a balancing-bar as well" as a dral't-bar in contradistinction to the t'orwardlyarranged d raft-bar heretofore cmployed in connection with a rearwardly-arranged controlling-bar, and also in contradistinction to a lever attached tothe tongue and Serial No. 276,743. (No model.)

at one end connected with the forward of the plow-beam.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a simplified and etiicient construction of raising and lowering device for operating` the chains by which the plow-beam is suspended; to provide means whereby the conveyer-helt of the elevator can be tightened or loosened by an attendant standing upon the machine; to provide improved means whereby an attendant standing upon the machinemay raise and lower the elevator at its middle jointed portion; to avoid end-thrust of the elevator in raising or lowering the elevator as a whole; to provide certain ii'nprovements in the construction ot' the elevator and its conveyer-belt., and to further provide certain improved details ot' construction serving to increase the general. efficiency of the machine.

In the drawings, Figure l represents in side elevation a grading and ditching machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view ot' the wheeled body-trame and principal matters below the same, with the exception ot' the elevator and chains for driving the conveyer-belt, which are omitted, it being ob` served that the parts above the body-frame are removed by taking a section through the machine on a horizontal plane parallel with and just above the plane ot the body-frame A. Fig. 3 represents a section taken transversely through Fig. i on theline 3 Si, and looking' toward the rear otl the machine. Fig. 4 is atop plan view ot' the elevator, or elevating-conveyer, as it may be indifferenti y termed, with the conveyer-belt and one ot the drive-chains omitted. Fig. 5 is a side view of the same. Fig. G is an end view showing the delivery end oi' the elevator with the upper fold or leaf ol' the coi'iveycr-belt in transverse section. Fig. 7 is atop plan view, on a somewhat larger scale, of the delivery-emi portion of the elevator. Fig. S is a side-view ot the portion ot' the elevator shown .in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail representing, on a still larger scale, a section taken through a couple of the conveyerbelt slats at the points where they are riveted to the links di. Fig. l0 represents in perspective a couple et the links and end porl tions of two of the slats secured thereto, said end view being made to show the way in which the links can be disconnected from one another. l? ll represents in top plan view the middle jointed portion ot' the frame otl the elevator and illustrates the belt-tightener and construction ot joint. Fig. 2 represents in side elevation the portion ot' the elevator shown in Fig. ll. Fig. l is a detail representing in longitudinal section the rear end portion ol' the hollow winding-shaft F2, the bearing therefor, and the pawl and ratchet by which it may be locked, and in elevation'the rear end portion ot the winding rod. or sha t't li" and the hand-wheel thereon.

In said drawings, A denotes thebod y-l rame, l the front wheels, and C the rear wheels, ot' the grading and ditching machine.

The elevating-conveyer l),which is arrt'l-nged transversely to the length ot' the machine, is extended both under the body-frame and out Vt'rom one side thereof, so that soil delivered to the conveyer-belt D from a plow, E, arranged I at one side ot' the machine and having a side delivery, can be carried by the belt to one side of the machine and there discharged either onto the road or into a wagon, as may be desired.

The plow is suitably attached to the plowbeam F, which latter is suspended alongside the machine, so as to bring the plow into position for delivering` the soil onto the conveyer-belt. The plow-beam is suspended by raising or ltnvering` chains f, so that it can be either adjusted in height to vary the depth of the furrow or raised to an extent to permit the plow to clear the ground.

The plow-beam is guided and controlled in its various movements by a combined drat't i and balance bar, G, which is at one end tiexibly attached to the plow-beam and -at its opposite end pivoted upon the botly-li-anie, so

that it may swing horizontall)v and also rise y and fall to a suitable extent at its end that is connected to the plow-beam. 'lhis combination draft and balance bar is arranged substantially opposite a point midway the length ot' the plow-beam, or at a point in fronti ot' but so near the plow that the presence ol' auxiliary eoiltrolling bars or attachments con neeted. with the plow-beam in the rear ot the plow are rendered unnecessary.

The'end ot' the draft and balance bar that attached to the 4plow-beam is widened in any suitable way, so that the connection between said bar and the plowbeam can in et'- fect be made along a considerable length of the plow-beam, the extended bearing thus atlorded serving to steady the plow beam, although permitting it to partake ot' the horizontal swing of the bar. The combination that `tor some soils the plow should be set l'arther forward and `for others it should be set tart-her to the rear.

So far as the principle ot' operation is con cerned the construction ot this single combined drat't and balance bar is not material; but as a preferred construction, involving what l regard as merit in detail, said bar is herein shown formed ot' a couple ot' rails or angleirons, g and g2, one diverging I'rom the other in the direction ofthe plowbeam and both suitably connected together by cross-braces, in which way the combined draift and balance bar is widened atone end in an ellicient mannerwithoutunnecessarily weighting it down, and in a way to adapt it to withstand the great strain to which it may be subjected in plowing.

rl-he combined drat't and lmlanccbar is connected with the plow-beam by horizontallyarranged pivots g3, Figs. l and 2, which allow a lateral tilt oi the plow-beam in order that the plow may be tilted to one side t'or cutting sod. As a means tor j n'eventing such tilt ot' the plow and securing it either in its tilted or upright position, as may be required, a rod, g", is at one end hinged to the combined draft and balance bar and at its opposite end adjustably eoni'iccted with the top edge ol' the plow-beam in any suitable way. As herein shown, the rod is slotted to receive a boltthat is secured in the plow-beam and provided with a tightening-nut; but other mechanical expedients t'or attaining an adjustable connection between the rod andthe plowbeam may be provided.

The dratt and balance bar (l maybe adj usted longitudinally in order to var v the distance between the plow and the elevator, and tor such purpose said bar is provided along its end portion which rests in abearing, o, on the body-trame with a line ol' perl'orations,

` liig. 2, ior the removable pivot gf', which can be transferred trom one perforation to another, according to the end adjust ment ot' the bar. 'lhe horizontal swing ot' the bar (l permits the plow to lall back during operation to such extent as the length ot' draft-chain f/ may allow the bar to swing back. The lati tude ol vertical swing on the part of bar G to adapt it to such adjustment in height ol.' the plow-beani as may be made by operating the raising and lowering chains j" can be attained by simply making the perforations for the pivot-bolt g et' suil'ieieni size to admit ol" such movement on the part ol' said bar (l.

The two chainsf, for raising and lowering the plow-beam and plow, are attached at their lower ends to the plowfbeam respectively in advance and to the rear ot' the plow. 'lhe raising and lowering chain, which is thus attached to the plow-beam at a point in advance ot the plow, is at its upper end attached to a rotary whaling-shaft, l1", which is arranged horizontally over the plow -bealn, as best shown in lig. l. The winding-shaft l" is at its forward end supported by a standard, c2,

lOO

'which rises Vfrom the main frame A, while at its rear end portion said windingshaft extends through and is Supported by a rotary sleeve or hollow win din g-sh aft, Fto which latter is attached the raising and lowering chain that is connected with the plow-beam in rear of the plow. The hollow winding-shaft F2 is mounted in bearings on the standards'A and A2, and is at its rear end provided with a clutch-glaml, f2, as best shown in Fig. l 53 an d Upon the rear end of the winding-shaft l1", which extends back Vfrom said end of t'hchollow shaft lig, is secured a similar clutchgland, f3.

The hand-wheelf" is provided with two oppositely-arranged clutch-glands, f1, and is loosely mounted upon the winding-shaft F at a point between the clutch-gland of said shaft F and the clutch-gland fzof the hollow shaft F2, in which way thehand-wheel can be shifted along the shaft l1", so as to throw it into clutch either with the clutch-gland f2 or the clutch-gland f3. \Vhe11, therefore, it desired to raise or lower the forward end of the plow-beam, an attemlant, standing upon the platform a on the body-frame of the machine, can shift the hand-wheel so as to place it in engagement with the clutch-gland fthat is fixed upon the rear end of the long winding rod or shaft l1", whereby he may operate said shaft, while on the otherhand, when it is desired to raise or lower the rear end of the plow-beam, theattemlant can shift the handwheel so as to place it in engagement with the clutch-glandf2, that is fixed on the rear end of the hollow winding-shaft F2, whereby he may operate the hollow winding-shaft F2 without operating the long winding-shaft F.

The two winding-shafts F and F2 can be temporarily locked against rotation in a direction to let down the plow-beam by any suitable means-as, Afor instance, a pawl, f5, Fig. 13, can be hung upon one of the bearings Vfor the hollow winding-shaft and a1'- ranged to engage a ratchet, f, that is fixed on the hollow winding-shaft, and in like manner a pawl, f7, Fig. l, can be hung upon another of the bearii'igs for the hollow winding-shaft and arranged to engage'a ratchet,

5o fixed upon the long winding-shaft Il",

ln connection with the foregoing matters' any suitable ctmstrlu-tion of elevating-conveyer may be employed 5 but, as a matter of further improvement in a grading and ditching machine, the elevator herein shown involves certain features which l may now set forth.

The elevating-conveyerl comprises a sectional frame, which is herein shown divided into two sections, the section (l being suspended under the body-frame and the section d being extended out from one side of the said body-frana. 'lhese two sections of the elevatingconveyer frame are coupled together by a sliding conncction, so as to provide in effect an extensible frame which can be varied in length for the purpose of tightening or loosening the endless conveyor-belt D. In connection with said extensible elevating-conveyor frame I provide suitable means whereby an adjustment in its length can be readily attained by an attendant upon the machine, it being desirable that the belt should be tightened up for conveyingl heavy soil, while for light work the belt may be somewhat loosened up, and hence avoid an unnecessary expenditure of power.

ln the elevating-conveyer herein shown (see particularly Figs. l l and l2) the extensible connection between the two frame-sections is attained by rods 12, attached to one frame-section and arranged to extend through bettrings l)2 on the other section, in` which way, by any suitable arrangement of levers or like devices, one of the frame-sections can be shifted away from or toward the other section; or, if desired, both traine-sections could obviously be shifted, since the result in each ease would be to either lengthen or shorten the sectional frame, and hence tighten up or loosen the belt, it being understood that whether either or both sections of the elevator-frame be shifted the principle of construction and res-ult involved is that of an elevator provided atopposite endswith rolls for the elevatingI conveyer or belt, and involving a sliding connection between a support for one roll, which may be the drivingroll, and a. support vfor the other roll, which will be an idler, whereby by a relative adjustment between said two roll-supports the ten sion of the endless conveyer or belt can be adj usted. It is, however, desirable to provide a hinge-connection between the two framesections, in order that the delivery end of section gl may be raised and lowered with reference to the height the belt I) should discharge from, and also that said section may be raised amt ln'ought into a substantially vertical position during travel without working. To such end the slide-rods l2 are adapted to provide l'iinge-pintles, aml hence, while having a sliding connection with the framesection d, have a pivotal connection with the next adjacent frame-section, which latter can be provided with a cross-rod, di", arranged to provide pivots or journals for eyes it" of the said pint le-rods ([2. ly such arrangement the frame-section that is below thc body-frame can by anysuitable means be shifted endwise, either away from or toward the upper section, d', which latter should in such case beheld against longitudinal movement, but be permitted to tilt.

As one of various ways in which the lower elevatingconveyor fra-me section may be shifted in a direction to tighten the belt, the machine is provided with all upright rotary shaft, H, Fig. il, which may be connected with the f rame-section d th rough t he medi um of any suitable power-transmitting connection and provided with a hand-wheel, 72, that is arranged within convenient reach of an attendant standingl upon the platform at', in which TOO IIO

way a suitable belt-tightencr involving a winding device can be subject to the control of an attendant on the machine, whereby he can at will and without delay adjust the distance be tween the driving-roll at one end of the elevator and the idler-roll at the opposite end of the elevator without getting ott' the machine and while the machine is in operation.

As oneot' an obvious variety of power-transmitting connections between the sectionframe d and the shaft 1I, the latter is at its lower end connected by gears 712 and 7b3 to a horizontally-arranged rotary shaft, 72", Figs. l and il, which said shaft 71 is in turn connected to the frame-section d through themedium of a chain-and-link connection, Il. In this way the hand-wheel 71 can be turned to cause the section ll to exert a pull upon the lower frame-section of the elevating-conveyer in a direction to shift it away from the upper frame-section, d', and hence separate the beltrolls or 1belt-sprockets which are at the extren'le ends of the elevati11g-conveyor to an extent to tighten up the belt, which will of course automatically loosen up when the said hand-wheel is turned or permitted to turn in a contrary direction. As a' matter of course, the frame-section c7 could be positively shifted in each direction by appropriate mechanismsuch, for exalnple, as by a cra]ik-and-pitmali connection; but the foregoing device will be found to answer all practical purposes.

In this connection it maybe noted that the lower ends of the standards A and A2 arcdesirably extended under the body-frame of the machine, as illustrated bythe arrangement of the standard A in Fig. il, and that in such case the lower inclined end portions of said standards can beutiilized to support the shaft 7l. The clevating-conveyer is at its receiving end suspended from a rotary winding'- shaft, i, through the lnedium of chains I, one

of which is best re )resented in Fig. $5 while g i at its delivery end said elevating-conveyer is suspended from a similar winding shaft through the medium of chains l, of which one is illustrated in said figure.

The winding-shaft 2' for the chains I is represented in Fig. l, while the winding-shaft 7i for the chains .K is simply shown in end view in Fig. 23. These two wm'ling-shafts, however, have a like arrangement, and are consctpiently mounted in bearings on elevated cross-bars A3, which serve to connect the vertical bars or standards A and A? at one side of the machine with vcrtical bars or standards A4 at the opposite side of the machine, as in Fig. Il, wherein one of said cross-bars A is illustratcd. lhe bars or standards A" rise to a proper height and are provided at their upper ends with pulleys for the chains K'. so that when so desired the Vframe-section fl of the elevating-minveyer can be raised toa vertical position by properly winding the chains I( upon their allotted winding-shaft.

In place of applying hand-whi-els directly to the winding-shafts i and 7:, I prefer to operate them in the way the rotary shaft 7i herein worked, and to such end I gear-connect with the winding-shaft 'i a rotary vertically -arranged shaft, 2, carrying a handwheel, if, and in like manner gear-connect with the winding-shaft'. 7,' a rotary verticallyarranged shaft, 7u', that is provided with a hand-wheel, 7.52.

Certain features herein shown in the construction of the elevator are claimed in application No. 271,724c for Letters Patent of the United States executed jointly by James C. Bennett and myself for a joint invention, it being understood that said matters may be employed in the machine herein set forth, and particularly when, as hereinbefore set forth, an ordinary endless belt is used for the slotted belt.

The viatical shaft ll can be provided with a ratchet, 7c, arranged about on a level with the platform c', and in like manner the shaft 2 can be provided with a ratchet, t1, and the shaft K with a ratchet, K3. It is understood that suitable pawls are provided forthose several ratchets, (for example, as in Fie'. Lwherein a pawl, h5, for the ratchet 71,, is shown,) in which way the pawls can be conveniently actuated by the foot of an attendant standing upon the platform, thereby leaving his hands free to manipulate the hand-wheels.

It is desirable that when the elevating-conveyor is adjusted in height at either end a correspont'ling adjustment in height should be made at the joint between its two framesections, in order to straighten the sectional frame as a whole, and henceinsure the proper working of the belt. To such end the sectional frame is at its jointed portion provided with rollers 75, arranged to run along upright tracks or guides A5, which depend from the body-frame of the machine, and at said portion of the elevatiiig-conveyer a raising and lowering device is connected therewith.

The cross-rod d3 affords journals for the rollers df', and the upright bars A are conveniently extended below the body-frame, so as to provide the guides A5, as indicated in Fig. 2, As a raising and lowering device for the aforesaid middle or jointed portion of the elevator, links I, are attached to the rod C78, as

in Figs. 2l and 12, and connected by chains l with a winding-shaft, 7, which is shown in end view in Fig. 3, and which, like its conlpanion wimling-shafts, is Amounted upon the cross-bars A3 and gear-connected wit-'h a verticallyarranged actuatingshaft, 7.2. Said shaft l2 at its upper end provided with a hand-wheel, 7, which will be within convenient reach of the attemlant, while at its lower end the shaft is provided with a ratchet, l, fora pawl that will be within reach of the attendants foot.

In order to avoid undesirable end-th rust of the frame of the elevating-convcyer when it adjusted in height by the raising and lowering device last described, each track or guide A5 is .formed on the arc of a circle hav- IOO IIO

ing as its center the receiving end of the clevating-conveyer, in which way the elevatingconveyer can be raised or lowered without either thrusting its receiving end into the plow or undesirably varying` the required distance between the two. The inclination of the elevating-con veyer serves to maintain the rollers di against the curved guides A5, and in this connection it will be seen that when the lower frame-section, d, is shifted endwise in a direction to tighten the belt the guides A5 serve as stops or abutments which hold the upper frame-section, d', against partaking of such end movement of the lower frame-section.

The extension of the bars A and A'2 below the body-frame affords, in addition to the provision of supports for the wimling-shaft h', ei'iicient means for bracing the guides A5 against the weight of the upper portion of the elevating-conveyer, and to such end the lower terminals of said bars are secured to the lower portions of the guides A".

For the foregoing purposes` of my invention no limitation is placed upon the construction of the conveyor-belt and means for operating the same. lhe conveyer belt herein shown is composed of a series of metal slats, d, which are detachal'ily connected together by links (Il, so that when it may be desired to vary the length of the belt such end can be readily attained b v removing any desired number ol" slats.

The slats du are riveted or otherwise secured to the links, as in Fig. 9, and the links are connected together, so as to provide along each edge of the slatted belt an endless chain or link belt composed of separate links. These two link belts run on sprockets which are arranged at intervals along the elevatingconveyer, it being seen in Figs. -l and 5 that of these said sprockets d8 serves to uphold the upper leaf of the conveyor-belt, while the lower sprockets, d, serve to uphold the lower leaf of the same. The sprockets (lg are mounted upon axles d10, which also serve to support at their middle a line of sprockets, d, for an endless chain or link belt, dl?, Fig. l, arranged by sustaining the slatted conveyer-belt along a line midway of its edges, in which way the slats may be made comparatively thin and light, and at the same time be prevented from sagging under the load they are to sustain.

At the upper deliveryY end of the elevator is a rotary shaft, (im, provided with four chain or sprocket wheels. Of these said chain or sprocket wheels the two wheels d are fixed upon the shaft and arranged for engaging the link belts that are composed of the links di, as aforesaid, whereby the slatted conveyerbelt may be driven by properly applying power to the shaft (im. The chain or sprocket wheel d is, however, desirably an idler, and to suchend is loosely mounted upon the shaft d, in which way,while the link belt d12 serves as a support for and maybe operated by fricwill.

tional contact with the slatted belt, it is not driven by the shaft d.

rlhe chain or sprocket wheel d1 is iixed upon the rotary shaft (Z13, and is driven by a chain or link belt, M. Said driving-chain M is driven from the rear wheels, C, in any suitable or desirable way-as, for example, it can be operated from a sprocket, m, Fig. 2, which by means of a clutch, `N, can be connected with or disconnected with the driving-gear at Where the driving-gear is arranged at the plow side of the machine, as herein shown, the driving-chain between the sprocket .fm and the sprocket dm will be made in tWo lengths to permit the power-transmitting connection to adapt itself to the position of the upper frame-section, d', of the elevating-conveyer, and to such end the flexible powertransmitting connection between said two sprockets comprises the chain or link belt M, Fig. 4t, and a chain or link belt, M, Figs. 1 and .5. The chain M connects with the sprocket d1, and the chain t Fig. l, connects with the sprocket m, and these two chains are respectively connected with sprockets m and m2, fixed upon a rotary shaft, m3, that is arranged at the joint in the elevating-conveyer, and preferably mounted upon the frame-section d. lilith further reference to the elevating-conveyer, the side pieces or guards, d, are supported by arms that are attached to the side rails or bars of the sectional frame, and the axles of the lower sprockets, C19, are journaled in hangers that depend from said frame.

In order to prevent any back-slip of the material that is being' carried by t-he slatted belt, the longitudinal edges of some of the slats are turned up, as dlg, Figs. 7 and 9, in

which way the proper carrying of the soil willv be insured.

'hile I do not limit myself to a steel ele- \f'atingconveyer, it will be observed that it may be made entirely of metal, and also that, if desired, the body-frame may likewise be made of metal, in which case the arrangement of body-frame A and circle P herein shown will be found exceedingly strong and desirable, since the rectangular body-frame can be made sufficiently strong by the addition of a comparatively few braces, and can be conveniently secured to the upper half of the fifth-wheel or circle, of which the lower half may be supported by a bolster mainly formed of brace-bars P and P.

lVhat l claim as my invent-ion isl. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination, with the draft and balance bar arranged transversely to the line of draft and pivotally supported at one end, of the plowbeam hinge-connected to and balanced upon the free end of said draft and balance bar, to which latter the draft is applied intermediate of its pivotally-supported end and its connection with the plow-beam, the plow-beam being provided with a plow and suspended substantially as hereinbefore set forth, and the connection between the combined draft and bal- IOO IIO

ance bar and the plo\\'beam being adjacent to the plow, with the beamextendingforward from said point ot' connection to balance the beam and plow as a whole upon the end ot" said bar, substantially as described.

In a grading and ditching machine, the combination, with. the suspended phiw-beam carrying a plow, oit' the drat't and balance bar G, hinged to the plow-beam intermediate ot" the ends ot' the latter, and havingits end that is hinged to the plowbtfiam widened, snbstantially as and tor the purpose described.

3. In a grading and ditching machine, thc einiibination, with the suspended plow-beam carrying a plow, of the draft and balancebar, hinged at one end ot' the jiilow-lieain in advance ot the plow, and the bar g4, connecting' the plow-beam with the drat't and balance bar, and having at one end a hinged connection with one ot said members and at its opposite end having an adjustable eoiineetion with the remaining member, substantially as described.

l. In a grading and ditching machine, the elevating-eonveyer comprising a couple of traine-sections which are hinged together by an extensible joint, substantially as and t'or the purpose set forth.

5. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination, with an endless eonveyer-belt, ot' a sectional elevating-eonveyer frame and rods d, having sliding connections with one trame-section, substantially as described- 6. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination, with the extensible elevatingcoiiveyer tram e, ot an adjusting device placed under the control of an attendant standing upon the machine and adairited for extending the length ot` the sectional elevati ng-eonveyer trame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination, substantially as hereinbetore set t'ortih, with the endless el evatiii g-conveyer and a couple ot' belt-rolls therefor, respectively arranged at opposite ends ot' an elevator, involving a sliding connection between a support for the driving-roll at the upper end ot' the elevator and the idler-roll at the lower end of said elevator, ot' a belt-tightener adapted :for adjusting the distance between said rolls in order to 'vary the tension ot the elevatingconveyer, and comprising in its connection a suitable cord oi' chain winding device arranged within reach of an attendant upon the machine, whereby he may at will, and while the machine is in operation, tighten or slaeken the endless elevating-conveyer, substantially as and for the purpose set liorth.

8. In a grading and ditchingmachine, the

combination, siibstant ially as liereinlieFore set forth, with the elevating-conveyer, ol the curved guides engaged b v the eleva-ting-eonveyer intermediate ot the ends ot' the latter, whereby in raising and lowering said elevating-eonveyer at the middle end thrust may be'avoided, siibstantialliv as and l'or the purpose set forth.

fl. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination, substantiallyv as hereinlietore set forth, with the jointed elevatiiig-conveyer, ol the guides attached to the body-traine oli' the machine and Vrollei's carried by the elevatingcoiiveyer at its joint and engaging' said guides, substaiitialljv as set vforth.

fit). In agrading and ditching maeliine,the combination, substaiit ially as hereinbeli'ore set forth, oli' the elevati iig-coiivcyer, curved gii ides engaged by the elevatingeonveyer, and a raising and lowering device lor raising and lowering the elevating-conveyer at its middle portion, t'or the purpose described.

lll. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination, with the jointed elevating-conveyer having an extensible joint, oli' the gu ides engaged by rollers that are carried by the elevating-eonveyer adjacent to Yits joint, substantially as set t'orth.

12. In a grading and ditching machine, the con'ibiiiation, with the plow-beani carrying a plow, otf the raising and lowering cords or chains, respectively, lor varyin g the height otn the t'orward and rear ends ot the plow-beam, and a chain raising and lowering device constructed with the long winding-shaft extend ing through a shorter hollow winding-shal't, the two elinch-glands, respect ively upon the long \\f'iii 'liiigshatt and the shorter hollow winding-shaft, and the shitting liaiul\\'lieel provided with oppositel y disposed clutchglands, and arranged between the said clutchglands ot' the two winding-shafts, substantially as and ior the purpose described.

I3. Ina grading and ditching machine, the combination,with the endless slatted eon\f'e ver-belt, ot' the cha-iii or liiilc belt passing over chain wheels or sprockets and arranged to snpport the upper leat' ot', the slatted beit along a line intermediate ot' the side edges ot' the latter, substantiallyv as described.

ll. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination, with the suspend ed elevator, ot' a set of horizontally-arran ged windin gshaits for the cords or chains by which the elevator is suspended, and a corresponding set ot' vertieally-arranged 'handavheel shafts and gearconnected with said winding-shafts, substantially as and lor the purpose described.

NORTON BUNNELI.. `\\'itnesses:

Citas. (it. PAGE, N. incimvstm.

IOO

l'l'O 

